DeStefano's Mayoral Campaign Getting Underway

As his reelection campaign prepares to kick into gear, Mayor John DeStefano told a sympathetic audience at a reception for three of his key supporters […] that New Haven needs “good politics.” His definition? Being “open” to other points of view.
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He faces pockets of dissatisfaction in town over issues ranging from a pending tax hike to the recent FBI sting of allegedly crooked narcotics cops, as well as a lingering sense that the mayor and his allies subordinated the needs of the city for two years while he ran for governor. (Bass)

DeStefano has been mayor of New Haven for a long, long time. The closest he came to losing his job, however, was in 2001 when he defeated State Sen. Martin Looney in a hard-fought primary held just three days after 9/11. New Haven has no opposition party to speak of, meaning that political battles are almost always internal Democratic affairs. DeStefano faces a few challengers on that front this year, as well. Democrats Jim Newton and Willie Greene are running against him, as is Green Party candidate Ralph Ferucci. However, none of the candidates are expected to really make a dent against DeStefano’s still-powerful machine.

One interesting thing about New Haven’s elections this year is that they will be publicly financed. Very, very few municipalities have a public financing system–New Haven is the only town or city in Connecticut to implement one.

It will be interesting to see if Ralph Ferrucci can find 200 New Haven residents crazy enough to give him $25 each. But if he does, he’ll have $30,000 of money, –$25,000 of it coming from the city, –to play around with.

My worry is that some prankster games the system and then does something outlandish with the public funds thereafter. (like buy a new car for campaigning, –put up a scandalous billboard, –or use it strictly for negative messaging against the mayor.)